Child&#39;s motor car



Feb. 21, 1928.

1,660,298 'r. R. CULVER CHILD'S MOTOR GAR Ffiled March 1. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet l gwmmtw ('zglvef.

Patented Feb. 21, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,660,298; ATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS n. GULVER, or BRECKENRIDGE, TEXAS, AssIcnon or rnnnn-srxrnnnrnsro E. J. HUNTER AND THREE-SIXTEENTHS TO B. E. BOWERS.

- CHILDS MOTOlt CAR.

Application filed March 1, 1927. Serial No. 171,818.

tion of this kind which includes a car, prefer-.

ably formed with two wheels disposed in tandem, and a radius rod or beam connected at its outer end to the car and supported at its other end so as to rotate around a fixed center concentric to the track.

Another object is to provide means whereby electric current may be taken from a house lighting system, carried to the center around which the car operatesfand from thence carried by conductors supported on the radius rod or beam to the car motor.

Still another object is to provide means whereby the circuit from the source of cur,- rent to the motor may be broken in case the car should strike an object or a person and preferably provide means wherebya brake may be applied-under this contingency.

A still further object is to provide like means in connection with the radius rodor beam. i

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a top plan view of a motor car invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal horizontal sectlonal and track constructedin accordance with my view of the motor car and. a portion of the track;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view .through the motor car;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of the wiring of the car and the means for conducting electricity thereto; 1

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section showing the details of the brake and circuit breaker and the latching means therefor.

Referring to these drawings and particularly to Figure 1, it will be seen that the track A may consist of concrete, wood, metal or any other suitable material arranged in a circle around a center. This track may be laid upon a lawn or form a permanent. part of a yard or garden. Operating on the track is the car 10 which mayhave any suitable form but is illustrated as approximating the form of a motor car andhaving a seat in its rear. I do not wish to be limited to the form of car illustrated. This car is driven by a.

radius rod 25. transversely of the car and is attached to'the driving wheel 11 mounted upon an axle 12. This driving wheel is shown at the middle of the car and at the forward end of the car a skewed axle 13 having thereon the supporting wheel 14;. This wheel 141 is disposed at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the car-so as to guide the car around the track. Both" of these wheels 11 and 14 are preferably pro vided with rubber tires and mayhave a diameter ofsay 8". The motor 15 is preferably an electric motor such as is used on washing machines and of any suitable horsepower as, for instance, one-fourth horse power motor. The shaft of the motor car-. ries wait the belt pulley 16 from which a.

belt 17 transmits power to a belt pulley 18.

The shaft of this pulley 18 carries upon it the pinion 19 which gears with a gear wheel 20, the shaft 21 of which carries the sprocket wheel '22 over which a sprocket chain 23 passes which transmits power to a sprocket wheel24t upon shaft 12, this wheel 24 being relatively small and the pinion 19 being relatively small in relation to the gear wheel20 so as to multiply the speed transmitted from the belt wheel 18. ,This belt wheel 18 is con% siderably larger than the beltwheel on the motorso as to reduce the speed ofthe motor. Ido not wish to be limited to the particular gearing or power transmitting mechanism.

The motor is operated by current, taken scribed. The car issupported'for movement around the center of the track by, an arm or This, as illustrated, extends fIOII1' th6 house as will be hereafter do frame of the car in any suitable manner and is preferably hollow so that the electric wires by which current is conveyed to the motor may be carried therein. The inner end of the arm is connected to a metal sleeve '26 rotating upon a metal post 27 which is embedded preferably in concrete at the center of the track, the sleeve being removable from the post. The sleeve may be of metal or in.- sulating material and carries upon it two commutator rings 28 and 29 connected to the two wires which lead to and from the motor. Disposed parallel to the peripheral face of the sleeve is a wooden or other post 30 which carries two contacts 31 engaging with the commutator rings and connectedby suitable wiring to the house lighting. system orrto any other source of electrici y.

Electrically connected to one of these rings "It ill be seen that contact by the chain with 28 or 29 is a Wire which leads or increase the current and thus secure a less or greater speed and as this is obvious, I have not illustrated any device of this character.

For the purpose of controlling the current, I provide a control switch gh vhich may be an ordinary knife switch, Within the car toard the rear end thereof Where it ivillbe handy for the child operating theicar; and for the purpose of automatically breaking a circuit through the motor, it the car or the arm or rod should strike a person or object, I provide, a safety switch insaid circuit which isnormally closed but which is opened to break thercircuit under certain circumstances. For the purpose of operating this switch I" mount upon the forwardly projecting brackets 36 and the laterally projecting brackets 37, the flexible member38 which may either have the form of a cable, ay wire, or a chain, though preiorably it is in the form of a chain. The members 37 have eyes'through which the chain 38 passes and the brackets 36 may have pulleys or eyes over or through Which the. member 38 passes. Gnc end of the chain 38 is rigidly connected to the car, as at 39. The other end of the chain passes through the eyeBl' on that side of the car and then extends parallel to arm 25 and is connected at its outer end to said arm in spaced relation thereto adjacent the rotative center of the arm. This chainis kept taut by any suitable means as, for instance, the spring 40. 7'

I have heretofore referred to the chain 38- as being connected'at 39jto afi'xed point on the car. This chain at 39 is connected to a link 41 or equivalent member which in turn is connected to a bell crank lever l2 pivoted at 43. The switch 85 is connected by a loose link chain i ito the longitudinally extending rod 45 urged in a direction to open the switch by means of the spring a6. A vertically movable latch 47 engages a shoulder 48011 the head of rods-5 so that when this latch is pulled down against the action of the spring 49 andby means of the bell crank leverl2, the rod 45 will move rearward, opening the switch and breaking the circuit. .Pivoted to this rod l5 isabrake rod 50 which is pivotally mounted at its lower end at 51 and carries the brake 52 which may" engage with a brake drum 53 attached to the shaft of the main drive Wheel in any suitable manner. I y

The rod i-5 extends through the dash 5 L an object Will'place strain upon the chain which will "cause the pulling down offth'e latch 47 and that immediately the spring 16 will cause the openingof switch35 and the application of the brake, cutting oli the cur rent.

depression ot the latch d7 until the end-of the latch slips by the head or shoulder l8 and this closes the switch 35 and, of course, releases the brake.

contemplate that a bumper 55 having the appearance or a regulationautomobilebumper shall be mounted upon the front of the car on supports that will allow the bumper to move rearwardimder pressuro, this bumper being connected by an arm or arms 56 with the chain 38 so that pressure against the bumper Will cause the safety device to operate. The rod i5 is mounted in suitable guides as, for instance, in guide brackets 57 mounted upon the frame or outside Wall of the car. The push rod or link llinay be either disposed beneath the car or -,operate through the side ofthe car as desired.

While I have illustrated an automobile or the similitude of one, I do not. wish to be limited to this as the same mechanism can be used in connection with a small platform car having many seats or a car having the similitude of an animal thereon upon which children mayride. It is contemplated that the motor, gears, and Wheels, may be assem: bled on a chassis or framealong the side of the car giving ample leg roon'i and I do not Wish to be limited to the particular arrangement ofthe gearing illustrated. Variable speed may also be secured by using an obvious form of clutch and it is obvious that a trailer can beattached inconnection With the car and fixed in its path by one or ,11'1010 armsconnected to the main radius ar1n 25. i i

1'. A ca-r, a radius arm having its outer end connected to the car and having its inner end mounted for drotary movement around a fixed center, an electric motor mounted on the car, means for transmitting current along theradiusarm to said motor,

and means for automatically breaking the circuit through the motoruwhen the radius arm or car is about to strike an impediment.

2. A car, a radius arm having its outer end connected to the car and having its inner end mounted for; rotary 'HIOVGIDGDlJ around a fixed center, "an electric motor mounted on the car, means for transmitting current along theradius armto said motor,

and means for automatically breaking the circuitthrough the motor when the radius arm orcar strikes an impediment including an inwardly contractible member mounted upon the forwardend of the car and in In order to close the circuit the rod 45 -1S pushed inward, causing a momentary front of the radius arm, and a switch to whlch the member is connected.

3. A car, a radius arm having its outer end connected to the car and having its in-.

ner end mounted for rotary movement around a fixed center, an electric motorarm or car strikes an impediment including a flexible element supported in a tautcon dition in advance of the motor and radius arm and placed under strain on contact with an impediment.

4. In a mechanism of he character described, a car, a radius arm to one end of which the car is connected, the inner end of the arm being mounted for pivotal movement, an electric motor mounted Withinthe car, means for transmitting energyto the electric motor, a brake for the car, a switch for breaking the circuit through the motor, and means acting automatically to break the circuit through the motor and apply the brake as the car nears an impediment, and

including a flexible element supported in a taut condition across the front of the car and in advance of the leading edge of the radius arm, the flexible element being operatively connected with the switch and the brake.

5. In a mechanism of the character described, a car, a radius arm upon which the,

for movement around a center, an electricv motorfor the car, a brake for the car, a

switch adapted to close or breakthe circuit through the motor, a longitudinally extending rod connected to the brakeand to the switch and in one position closing the switch and holding the brake out of operative position, means urging said rod into a position to apply the brake and open the switch, a latch normally holding the rod in the last named position, and an impediment actuated member carried by the car andoperatively connected to said latch to cause the release of the latch when the member strikes an imtion, a spring urging said rod into a position to apply the brake and open the switch, a latch normally 'holdingthe rod in the last named position, an impediment-actuated member carried by the car and by the radius arm in advance of the leading edge thereof and operatively connected to said latch to cause the release of the latch when the member strikes an impediment.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afix my signature.

THOMAS E. CULVER. 

